Search Results (17)

Urban waterfront streets are important mediators that reflect a city’s image and characteristics. They play a positive role in enhancing residents’ cohesion, mental and physical health, and social interactions. Human perceptions represent individuals’ psychological experiences and feelings toward the surrounding environment. Previous studies have explored the impact of urban street-built environmental factors on perceptions; however, research focusing on waterfront street environments and their impacts on human perceptions remains limited. Therefore, exploring the specific impact of waterfront street environmental characteristics on different dimensions of human perception is essential for guiding the development of livable cities. Based on Street View images (SVIs), this study applied artificial neural networks and machine learning semantic segmentation techniques to obtain physical feature data and human perception data of the Murasaki River waterfront line spaces in Kitakyushu, Japan. In addition, correlation and regression analyses were conducted to explore the specific impact of physical features on different dimensions of human perception in waterfront line spaces, and corresponding optimization strategies were proposed. The results show that street greenness significantly enhances perceptions of safety, wealth, and beauty, while effectively reducing boredom and depression. Furthermore, the building visual ratio contributes to increased street vitality. On the other hand, physical features such as openness, spatial indicators, and environmental color diversity have negative effects on positive perceptions, including safety and vitality. In particular, openness significantly increases boredom and depression. This study advances the exploration of urban waterfront street environments from the perspective of human perception, providing a theoretical foundation for improving the spatial quality of waterfront streets and offering references for human-centered urban planning and construction. Full article

Blue spaces, water-based open spaces, are becoming focal points for urban vitalization. While previous studies have explored waterfronts’ various effects, little research has focused on their influence on actual visitation and vitality. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the effect of riverfronts on mobility using de facto population data, which tracks citizen activity by location through mobile information. The study focuses on two major rivers in northwestern Seoul, covering nine major riverfront facilities. Population Vitality (PV) and Vitality Index (VI), two novel measures derived from the de facto population data, were calculated for 266 tracts and used as a new indicator of spatial activation. Explanatory variables include regional and riverfront factors, such as the density of facilities, riverfront spaces’ specifications, and vitalization patterns. The findings show that higher densities of park-green spaces and commercial activities significantly enhance vitality, aligning with previous research on open spaces. Compact riversides with higher densities of riverfront facilities also exhibit greater vitality. The VI has demonstrated feasibility as a dynamic metric for assessing spatial activation, effectively capturing temporal fluctuations. By utilizing population big data and novel indices, this study empirically demonstrates the magnetic effects of riverfronts, providing deeper insights into effective riverfront planning. Full article

Contemporary post-industrial urban areas face opposing transformation trends: on one hand, abandonment or underutilization, and its replacement by new constructions and uses, on the other hand, the revaluation of the historical fabric and the implementation of initiatives to rehabilitate this legacy as industrial heritage. This study aimed to understand the factors that influence trends, and simulate land-use scenarios. A methodology based on three phases is proposed: digitization, exploratory spatial data analysis and simulation. Using the former textile district of Bellavista in Tomé (Chile), this study created and used historical land-use maps from 1970, 1992 and 2019. Meanwhile the main change observed from 1970 to 1992 was a 59.4% reduction in Historical Informal Open Spaces. The major change from 1992 to 2019 was the Historical Informal Open Space loss trend continuing; 65% of the land dedicated to this use changed to new usages. Consequently, the influence of two morphological factors and three urban management instruments on land-use changes between 1992 and 2019 was studied. The projection to 2030 showed a continued trend of expansion of new housing uses over historic urban green spaces and industrial areas on the waterfront, although restrained by the preservation of the central areas of historic housing and the textile factory. Full article

To alleviate the contradiction between high-density urban spatial environments and high-frequency citizens’ activities, it is vital to determine the degree of openness of waterfront space, figure out the matching relationship between spatial openness and vitality intensity, identify imbalanced spatial zones and divide the order of intervention, and compensate for the limitations of subjective judgment in traditional planning decisions. This paper uses the Changsha Xiangjiang River waterfront space as a research sample based on multi-source data. It constructs the evaluation indicators system and research framework for the degree of openness of waterfront space. Then, by evaluating the openness and vitality intensity of the waterfront space and adopting the quadrant division method, waterfront space zones with a mismatched openness and vitality intensity were identified. Finally, planning interventions are prioritized based on a priority index. The results show the following: (1) The openness and vitality of the waterfront space of Xiangjiang River show the spatial distribution characteristics of “high in the middle and low in the north and south” and “high on the east bank and low on the west bank”. (2) Fifteen low-quality waterfront spatial zones with “low vitality intensity and low openness” and one with a severe imbalance of “low openness–high vitality intensity” were identified. These waterfront spatial zones cannot meet the requirements for the high-quality development of waterfront space. (3) The study delineates five priority levels for planning interventions. Among them, three waterfront space zones belong to priority V, mainly distributed north and south of the Xiangjiang River. Five waterfront spatial zones belonging to priority IV are concentrated in the middle of the Xiangjiang River. The above areas need to be prioritized for improvement to accurately promote the overall balanced development of the waterfront space. Full article

Landscapes in urban waterfront spaces are of high societal value as they can meet people’s physical, psychological, and social needs for health and well-being, but the relationship between waterfront landscape features and public health benefits has yet to be clarified. From the perspective of blue health, this paper takes blue spaces along the Min River of Fuzhou City as the research object. It constructs the mediation model of “Waterfront landscape characteristic (WLC)→Water-friendly environmental preference (WEP)→Emotional benefit (EB)”. The role of WEP in the mechanisms linking WLC and EB in different waterfront spaces was explored through the quantification of indicators, questionnaires, and physiological measurements. The main results showed that (1) the ability of different types of waterfront spaces to arouse positive emotions in the population is characterized by blue-dominated space > co-dominated space > green-dominated space, while the opposite is true in terms of inducing negative emotions; (2) green visibility, blue visibility, naturalness, water-friendliness, and openness are all significantly related to EBs and could affect positive emotions either directly or mediated by WEPs, but openness seems not to affect negative emotions through WEPs; (3) cleanliness affects the population’s WEP for the coherence dimension, but has no significant role in improving EBs. This study could expand new ideas for research in habitat health, provide a reference for embodied evidence-based waterfront landscape design, and help promote the construction and development of healthy cities. Full article

The design of urban spaces, including waterfronts, must consider the flexibility to respond to urban and environmental changes and the continuity that respects the existing urban factors that have determined the essential characteristics of the place. The Hangang River in Seoul, South Korea, has been susceptible to significant changes over the years and has accumulated considerable historical traces and an irrevocable relationship with its urban contexts. On the other hand, as the country experienced rapid development, most urban plans have been executed based on shortsighted perspectives without considering sustainability. This study suggests adaptability as the main driver to achieve sustainability of the urban riverfront by viewing the site condition dichotomously. The components of the site were distinguished as fixed and variable factors. Considering fixed factors, six design intervention types were applied to the site through extensive macroanalysis and correlation studies, and each intervention was proposed to respond to the variable factors of the site. This study proposed four strategies to upgrade the riverfront as an adaptable space. First, five types of waterfronts were introduced with more distinct functions and identities to accommodate various activities. Second, commercial development was introduced to build a stable financial base that could respond to economic fluctuations. Third, the ecological waterfront space was expanded to react to climate change in the long term and achieve the goals of improving the microclimate, biodiversity, and educational function in the short term. Lastly, connective infrastructure was introduced to address the rapidly increasing demand for open space. The significance of this study was twofold. First, the site condition was interpreted more comprehensively by applying a framework for analysis by distinguishing the fixed and variable factors. Second, the strategy presented in this study can be applied to establish a waterfront redevelopment plan in other cities that have a context similar to the Hangang River of Seoul. Full article

Urban areas are vulnerable to multiple risks associated with hydro-meteorological hazards (HMHs). The assessment of the climate benefits of implementing nature-based solutions (NBSs) in urban areas, especially in open spaces, is widely recognised and discussed within the scientific literature; however, the quantification of these benefits, in terms of the HMHs reduction, human safety and human well-being, is still a subject of debate. In this context, this contribution proposes a methodological approach that, starting from the analysis of the impacts of coastal flooding and in terms of the potential direct and tangible economic damages, heatwave events and vulnerability of open spaces, proposes the application and assessment of NBSs in terms of the reduction in these impacts. The process was developed in the GIS environment based on the processing of open-source data. The test was conducted in the case study of Naples’ waterfront to identify the potentialities and limitations of the approach. The results showed the contribution of NBSs in reducing the economic damages due to coastal flooding and the improved vulnerability conditions to heatwave events. Full article

Accessing parks without transmitting viruses would ensure not depriving people of parks’ health benefits during pandemics. This study attempts to develop a practical tool for park managers to assess the risk of contracting respiratory contagious illnesses, decide on meaningful mitigation measures, and monitor the effect of these measures. The assessment is based on the spatial and temporal behaviors of users at each park open space type (POST), particularly the behaviors that may impact the risk of illness transmission. The researcher created a checklist, including five factors relating to users: physical distancing, density, duration of stay, percentage of users wearing masks, and frequency of surface touch; then, the implementation of the tool was demonstrated by selecting a sample zone from Jeddah waterfront park, Saudi Arabia, while COVID-19 was active. User behavior data were collected at the POSTs of the sample zone, using behavioral mapping and tracking methods. After analyzing the data using ArcGIS Desktop and SPSS Statistics software, the data were used to fill out the composed checklist to assess the risk at POSTs. The findings indicated that the waterfront railing area, playground, and pier were the POSTs with the highest risk. By using the checklist, park managers can contribute to the success of non-pharmaceutical mitigation interventions at a local scale. Full article

The residents of coastal cities have a strong relationship with the waterfront, which people of different ages, types, levels of awareness, and cultural backgrounds use. People of different cultures tend to use these open spaces with various responses. They consider it a lung for them, and practice most of their entertainment and social events with different attitudes. Therefore, municipalities spend a large budget on designing, implementing, and developing these areas. However, sadly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the local authorities in many cities decided to shut down the city, including the waterfront area. Al Khobar city, Saudi Arabia, was one of the cities had that had a broad lockdown. Consequently, the use of open spaces became dangerous, and municipalities placed many restrictions on using such spaces to control the spread of COVID-19. Residents had no opportunity to use them for exercise, sports, social activities, or even for enjoying the fresh air, negatively influencing their lives at different levels. This research discusses this problem and examines the restoration of the waterfront after the authorities announced a decrease in the status of the hazards of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study will consider returning safely to using the waterfront and allowing it to be accessible to the public, like before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it will suggest recommendations for the future use of the waterfront in a secure way to prevent the spread of such viruses. Full article

Improving the attractiveness of urban waterfronts has become an important objective to promote economic development and improve the environmental quality. However, few studies have focused on the inherent characteristics of urban waterfront attractiveness. In this study, mobile phone signaling data and the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) were used to construct the attractiveness evaluation system of the riverside in Wuhan. The OLS (ordinary least squares) regression model was used to analyze the relationship between the POI (point of interest) and the attractiveness of river waterfronts. Furthermore, the high-or-low-value aggregation classification of research units was performed according to attractiveness and the POI indicators to reveal the influencing factors of the attractiveness of the Wuhan urban riverside. Results showed the following. (1) The high-value distribution of attractiveness of the river waterfronts in Wuhan presented regional aggregation characteristics, and the attractiveness of economically developed areas was high. (2) Consumer POIs (CPOIs) and outdoor recreation POIs (RPOIs) had a positive effect on the attractiveness of the riverside in Wuhan, while housing POIs (HPOIs), public service POIs (OPOIs), and the high degree of POI mixing had a negative impact on the attractiveness of the urban riverside. (3) The high–high agglomeration spaces were mainly concentrated in the economically developed areas of the city center, which are mainly open spaces where urban cultural activities are held, while the low–low agglomeration spaces were mostly gathered in the suburban areas. The spatial distribution of the high–low agglomeration spaces, which are mainly green open spaces, was relatively fragmented, while the low–high agglomeration spaces, which are mainly freight terminals, linear walks, and residential areas, were near the city center. Full article

The contemporary way of life influences the forms and time framework of outdoor activities in open public spaces, shifting their focus to nighttime usage. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the limits of existing outdoor lighting design standards and recommendations in terms of livability. As an exploratory case study, the Sava waterfront in New Belgrade, Serbia was chosen. The methodology consisted of theoretical research and specific analysis, which included: (1) mapping the spatial distribution of users during several periods of the day; (2) criteria and indicator network analysis of outdoor lighting quality, and (3) a survey with a questionnaire conducted among the users of the waterfront area. The results showed that lighting design can influence overall open public space usage during nighttime through its parameters. It can affect the spatial distribution of users and their sense of safety and comfort, as well as the duration, frequency, and manner of usage. This study could improve planning and design practices regarding outdoor lighting, enabling more active and inclusive usage of open public spaces, thus increasing the overall livability of spaces and their social sustainability. Full article

Open spaces, including waterfront areas, are critical to coastal communities and provide many benefits, including recreation opportunities, economic development, ecological benefits, and other ecosystem services. However, it is not clear how values of waterfront ecosystem services vary across geographical areas which prevents development and adoption of site-specific natural resource conservation plans and suitable long-term land management strategies. This study estimated the monetary value of distance to different waterfront types in coastal counties of Mississippi and Alabama (U.S.) using a geographically weighted regression (GWR) approach as an extension to a traditional hedonic pricing method (HPM). In addition, the study utilized publicly available data from the U.S. Census Bureau instead of certified rolls of county property assessors and Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data which can be costly and difficult to obtain. Residents valued most waterfront types which was reflected in greater assessed prices for houses in proximity to these waterfronts. However, the value of ecosystem services associated with waterfronts differed geospatially. The marginal implicit prices ranged from −$6343 to $6773 per km depending on a waterfront type. These estimates will be useful to city developers, land-use planners, and other stakeholders to make more informed and balanced decisions related to natural resource preservation associated with coastal areas, land-use planning, and zoning. In addition, information from this study can be used in developing healthy living environments where local economy can benefit from increased property tax revenues associated with waterfronts and their ecosystem services. Full article

Timely acquisition of spatial flood distribution is an essential basis for flood-disaster monitoring and management. Remote-sensing data have been widely used in water-body surveys. However, due to the cloudy weather and complex geomorphic environment, the inability to receive remote-sensing images throughout the day has resulted in some data being missing and unable to provide dynamic and continuous flood inundation process data. To fully and effectively use remote-sensing data, we developed a new decision support system for integrated flood inundation management based on limited and intermittent remote-sensing data. Firstly, we established a new multi-scale water-extraction convolutional neural network named DEU-Net to extract water from remote-sensing images automatically. A specific datasets training method was created for typical region types to separate the water body from the confusing surface features more accurately. Secondly, we built a waterfront contour active tracking model to implicitly describe the flood movement interface. In this way, the flooding process was converted into the numerical solution of the partial differential equation of the boundary function. Space upwind difference format and the time Euler difference format were used to perform the numerical solution. Finally, we established seven indicators that considered regional characteristics and flood-inundation attributes to evaluate flood-disaster losses. The cloud model using the entropy weight method was introduced to account for uncertainties in various parameters. In the end, a decision support system realizing the flood losses risk visualization was developed by using the ArcGIS application programming interface (API). To verify the effectiveness of the model constructed in this paper, we conducted numerical experiments on the model’s performance through comparative experiments based on a laboratory scale and actual scale, respectively. The results were as follows: (1) The DEU-Net method had a better capability to accurately extract various water bodies, such as urban water bodies, open-air ponds, plateau lakes etc., than the other comparison methods. (2) The simulation results of the active tracking model had good temporal and spatial consistency with the image extraction results and actual statistical data compared with the synthetic observation data. (3) The application results showed that the system has high computational efficiency and noticeable visualization effects. The research results may provide a scientific basis for the emergency-response decision-making of flood disasters, especially in data-sparse regions. Full article

The 4 August 2020 Port of Beirut blast caused material damage to an estimated 77,000 apartments located across 10,000 buildings within a 3 km radius of the blast, impacting around 300,000, people predominantly in the municipality of Karantina, which is situated adjacent to the Port of Beirut. The blast shed light on the instability and unsustainable development approach of the city of Beirut since well before the French mandate circa 1921–1940. The impact of the blast provides an opportunity to reassess the relationship between many relevant aspects of the city planning including but not limited to: the relationship of the city to its suburbs, waterfront, and city center; the lack of local planning and cross sectorial master plans; the preservation of the heritage versus the complexity of its urban development; the city growth and increased haphazard urbanization; the infrastructure/service systems that have over the years become increasingly deficient; the lack of public spaces; impacts on urban climate; and the urban divide and inequality that have only grown deeper since the blast, all of which have a combined and adverse impact on the quality of city life. This paper analyzes the most suitable indicators that one must highlight within the context of Beirut city to propose a better and sustainable quality of life with a focus on areas that were significantly impacted by the recent POB blast, namely Karantina. Examples of indicators which were analyzed include sustainable urban design, open spaces, heritage, infrastructure, and urban fabric. The results indicated that the following four main urban design features help improve the quality of life in Karantina, including: (i) connecting areas of Karantina and Mar Mkhael through the reactivation of vacant lots; (ii) reactivation of Ibrahim Bacha and El-Khodr Streets; (iii) redefining the historical El Khodr Mosque boundary and reclaiming its role as an urban landmark; and (iv) integration of classified built heritage. These parameters are necessary to improve the quality of life. The benefits of community participation are also assessed in the improvement and sustainable planning of the city of Beirut. Full article

The increasing pressure on urban resilience and the parallel interest in the preservation of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) have opened new frontiers of research that find, in the principles of the circular economy, good responses. Cities need to remake themselves from pure consumption to more resilient and circular centers, finding inspiration in their cultural and natural heritage and the history that generated it. The City of Rijeka, Croatia, one of the partners in the CLIC project (an EU-funded Horizon 2020 research project entitled “Circular models Leveraging Investments in Cultural heritage adaptive reuse”), represents an exceptional example of how to manage the change from an industrial port city to a more sustainable and citizen-oriented living space, looking at the potentials of the cultural and historical layers as opportunities for the population. The City of Rijeka, aware of such potentials, applied successfully as a European Capital of Culture 2020 (ECoC 2020), while unlikely facing the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Rijeka, thanks to the CLIC Heritage Innovative Partnership (HIP) program, the efforts to associate the circular economy and historic urban landscape benefit from an exceptional local awareness of the urban cultural and natural heritage, permitting the elaboration of the cultural corridor concept. By using the historical river of the city, the Rječina, as a connecting line of several heritage assets leading toward the Sea waterfront, the cultural corridor represents a space of culture creation based on continuity and proximity, where all citizens can securely reappropriate dismissed parts of the city, similar to the commons’ management practice. The cultural corridor has been imagined as a spatial implementation model that needs actions to be actuated. A set of actions was designed through the urban seeding process, tested in a workshop methodology, meant to address the HUL regeneration through an awareness-raising and cocreation approach by codesigning through situated learning, possible permanent or temporary actions, activities, assets to be replicated in the corridor and, per extension, in the entire city. This article will explain the way the cultural corridor concept and urban seeding were generated in the City of Rijeka, giving evidence of the motivations and the proposals made in parallel with the existing initiatives of the city and its cultural movements. Full article